It was small wonder, then, that he suddenly flung down his brush on the floor, said 'Bother!' and 'O blow!' and also 'Hang spring-cleaning!' and bolted out of the house without even waiting to put on his coat.

------------ Kenneth Grahame

Monday, April 18, 2011

What To Tell Her

She came to mediffident but insistent,as the dead do,filled with the urgency to speak.

Would you pleaseshe said, but then worked silently, internally, like a modern dishwasheron some fancy settingfor a while.

The last time I saw you,I said, lest things grow awkward,was bad times. Goblinssorting organs in the basement.I'm glad we're done with that.

Would you tell her,she finally said. It's always words.It's funny, the dead don't care about things anymore.It's only the words, the wordsthey're desperate to get right.

Would you tell her I'm sorry, I'm sorrythat I loved her so much.It was the only thing I could do.

I could tell her that,I said. But it's only what any of us would tell our kids,if we could, if they could hear it.I don't think you cameall this way to say just that.

She laughed, suddenly,so that the curtain stirred.Ah, you're like her father:she said, not nearlyso soft and drifty as you seem.

I know what I thinkyou should tell her, I said.Tell her you could only protect herfrom the thingsyou could protect yourself from.She was silent a while.You don't quite understand yet,she said, and neither does she.But say that for now, say that for now.It's difficult working from this side,you know: everything's backwards.It's like trying to back up a U-Haul trailer.

But tell her -- and suddenlyshe was fierce -- tell her I love her.She backed away, as they do, without moving.Not the messenger you would have chosen,I know, I said, and we both laughed.You take what you can get, she said,and vanished.

"Goblins sorting organs in the basement. I'm glad we're done with that." Such a vivid, visceral, gory image that so perfectly describes a situation we don't need to know the details of and then such understatement...it's so perfect!